The Interesting Life of Caleb Marcs (By Justin Pullins)

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Monologue #1

Act 1. Scene 1.

INT., STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICE - DAY

Our main character, CALEB, is sitting at his desk. He’s talking on the telephone. 

He’s writing and typing away, busy at work. There are two phones on the opposite sides of his desk. He works and works for a few moments, until one of his phones begins to ring. He picks it up and answers.

Hello. Assistant Secretary Caleb Marcs speaking (pauses) Umm, uh, no. I’m not too busy (pauses).

He puts his pen down and focuses on the phone call.

(laughs) Yeah, yeah, it’s-it’s crazy here. The recession is, uh, it’s really getting to us (pauses) Well, uh, well yeah. (pauses) No, no, here in the State Department we’re, uh, we’re completely topped. Funding’s gone heywire (pauses) What, huh? No, no, I, uh, I don’t watch the news anymore (pauses) Well, uh, I don’t watch the news that much anymore (pauses) Why? Because all I get is FOX News now (pauses) No, no, I just watch Jon Stewart for all of that (pauses) Wait, huh? What story? About what? (pauses) Ok, ok, I’ll, uh, I’ll read the report online.

He puts the phone on his desk, not hanging it up. He pulls out a laptop and types for some moments. After a while, he picks up the phone again, his voice fearful.

Is any of this stuff accurate? (pauses) Well is it!? (pauses) No, no. I’m sorry. I just have to be sure. (pauses) This can’t be true. Do you know what this would mean if this was true? (pauses) Yes, yes, I uh, understand. (pauses) I understand. Thanks for the call.

He hangs up the phone. He walks over to the front of his desk and sits down. He sighs.

This can’t be true.

Monologue #2

Act 1. Scene 2

INT., STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICE - DAY

CALEB is in his office again. There are papers everywhere. On the ground, all over his desk. There is a stack of papers that are holding up one of his phones. The phones continue to ring off the hook. He walks in from stage left, with his coat on, coffee in one hand, and a briefcase in the other, making it clear that he just came in for the day. He hears the two phones ringing and looks at them for a moment.

Meh.

He ignores both phones. He takes off his coat, and sits at his desk. After a while, he becomes so annoyed with his phones that he unplugs both of them. He sits and his desk and writes at his desk for some moments. As he works, his phone vibrates in his pocket, he pulls it out of his Blackberry out of his pocket. He doesn’t even bother to look at the screen.

A Blackberry call is a work call.

He doesn’t hesitate to promptly throw his phone into his wastebasket. He gets back to silent work for some moments. After a while, another phone vibrates in his pocket. He pulls this phone out quickly and worriedly.

But an iPhone call is important.

CALEB pulls out the phone and talks to his wife.

Hey, honey. (pauses) Yeah, I’m at work. (pauses) I know, I know. (pauses) Listen, listen. I understand why you’re angry. (pauses) Listen, listen, please listen to me. I’m sorry, ok? I’m sorry from keeping that from you. (pauses) Why? Why? I don’t know why. I can’t understand why. I honestly don’t know why I lied to you. (pauses) All I can tell you is that I’m sorry.

Monologue #3

Act 1. Scene 3.

INT., THE MARCS’ HOME - DAY

MICHELLE Marcs, CALEB’s wife, is in their home. She is in the living room of their home, which is messy. She is dressed in pajamas, somewhat sloppily. She is eating cereal from the box while sitting on her sofa, watching TV. The phone rings, and she has to look for it for a few moments. She finds it after a while, and she answers the phone.

Hello? (pauses) Oh, hi mother. (pauses) No, no, I’m not dressed yet. (pauses) Well it’s only (looks at a clock next to her) 11 o’clock? Jesus. (pauses) Oh well I lost track of time, mother! (pauses) Oh, well he left for work already. (pauses) Well, uh, not quite. Actually, do you have a minute to talk? (pauses) Yes, well, it’s been pretty tough for the country lately, you know, and a lot of people are out of work and losing jobs because of the economy. (pauses) Well it turns out a lot of people are dying, too. (pauses) This economy is affecting human rights all over the world. (pauses)  Well with no money, mom, the government can’t afford all of the foreign programs and things like that, a lot of which actually keep people alive. (pauses) Oh, that’s terrible, isn’t it? (pauses) Oh, he’s distraught. Absolutely distraught. He’s, he’s really getting into this. (pauses) Well, that’s the thing, mother. He’s getting a little too into this. (pauses) Well I’m afraid he’s begun to take matters into his own hands.

Monologue #4

Act 1. Scene 4.

INT., STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICE - DAY

CALEB walks into his office. He leaves the door open, he is yelling out of it.

And you tell him, Dan, that if goes through, it’ll be your ass that suffers for it! (pauses) Yeah, that’s right, your ass!

He firmly closes the door. He walks over to his desk, but before he’s able to sit down, he receives a call.

Assistant Secretary speaking. (pauses) Yes, may I, uh, may I inquire whose calling? (pauses) Oh, oh, great, great. How’s it going, Tim? (pauses) Good, good, that’s great. (pauses) Now, uh, now listen. This is very important and I don’t want this message to be forgotten. (pauses) Also, I would like all of this to remain between you, I, and any third party I may bring in in the future. (pauses) No, no, Tim. Rest assured that we will be doing nothing against the law, or too against the law, rather. It’s just too sensitive of information to be common knowledge. (pauses) Ok, ok, now listen up. I don’t quite know you well, but I am a good judge of character, and I can only assume and hope that you are not a cold-hearted man. (pauses) Oh, well I guessed right. (pauses) Now, thousands of people are dying now, so there needs to be no slip ups.

Monologue #5

Act 1. Scene 5.

INT., TIMOTHY GREY’S OFFICE - DAY

TIMOTHY Grey is our new character. He is a member of the executive branch of government. Working in the confides of the White House, he holds important power. Timothy walks into his office, a stark contrast of CALEB’s as it’s much larger and tidier. He also has an assistant, who does not speak.

It appears that Mr. Marcs knows a bit more than he should, unfortunately. If he thinks he can change the world, he’s sadly mistaken. Now surely, I’m not happy about what’s going on, but what can I do? I’m just one man, but furthermore, a man who knows his appropriate place in 

society. 

TIMOTHY pauses, as he sits at his desk. He swiftly rests his feet on his desk surface, looking calm and confident.

Mr. Marcs. Caleb, Marcs. A very foolish man indeed.

He looks down at his desk, in which his phone is resting, and notices a call.

Ah, (looks at his phone), it appears it that’s Mr. Marcs now. (TIMOTHY answers his phone) Mr. Marcs, how are you? (pauses) No, no, not yet, there are many things we have to do before we get to that point, Mr. Marcs. (pauses) It would suppose so, now wouldn’t it? (pauses)